Spider Love Is a Battlefield | Deep Look

These spiders aren't fighting. They're hooking up. Literally. But one of them could easily lose its life in the process. They're called long-jawed orb weavers, named for their huge jaws tipped with lethal curved fangs. And these bulbous pedipalps? Only males have them. You'll see them in action later. Long-jawed orb weavers spin their web right over a river or pond, a sticky trap for insects that hatch from the water. When an unlucky fly gets caught, she impales it with her fangs. She squishes the fly into a slimy ball and slurps it all up. But catching prey isn't the only thing her web is good for. She coats each strand of silk with pheromones that males find irresistible. So when he's searching for a mate, he follows the scent. With his legs. Spiders smell with these specialized hairs that can detect pheromones. In a lab experiment, a male repeatedly follows the unique perfume that females of his species leave behind, like a trail of breadcrumbs. In nature, the stakes are much higher. When this guy goes after a scent, he's putting his life on the line. Females are bigger. One wrong move and she could overpower and eat him. He rushes towards her. He has to act fast to get a good grip. He locks his jaws onto hers to keep her deadly fangs away from him. This tiny hook latches onto her fangs on each jaw. They become a beautifully dangerous entanglement. Face to face, they curve towards each other. He raises his skinny pedipalp, ending in what looks like a boxing glove. Then he twists it in like a light bulb. Inside each boxing glove is his sperm. Once he connects, elastic membranes inflate and deflate, each movement propelling his sperm onward. Okay, this isn't exactly a quickie. After a few minutes, he moves on to the second boxing glove. It takes both alternating to deliver his goods. The whole time, he's still holding her back. His jaws, her jaws. He prepared for this moment earlier by collecting sperm from his abdomen with his gloves. When he's done, there's no time to cuddle. Because if he sticks around for too long, he might still become her next meal. Sometimes love really is a battlefield. Hi, this is Laura Clivens. You may have noticed a different voice on Deep Look today. My friend, bug lover and podcast producer Margaret Katcher is taking over as host. Thank you, Laura. I'm so excited to be here. If you like creepy crawlies, check out our playlist. And if you miss Laura's voice, listen to her reporting at kqed.org. Link below.